1. Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to medical devices, and, in particular, relates to an intravascular guidewire for assisting in placement of an intravascular device within the neurovasculature for facilitating diagnostic and/or therapeutic neurovascular procedures.
2. Description of Related Art
Guidewires are commonly used in medical procedures to assist in the advance and proper positioning of a catheter or other medical device in lumens, vessels, or other cavities of the body. Neurovascular procedures utilizing guidewires include the imaging and treatment of aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations (AVM), and ischemic stroke. The effectiveness of an intravascular guidewire in advancing through tortuous neurovasculature without undesired deformation or kinking is dependent upon a number of factors and design considerations. These factors include, inter alia, the material(s) of fabrication of the guidewire, guidewire dimensions and intended use. Generally, a balance must be achieved to provide the required torsional, lateral, tensile and/or column strengths to enable easy and precise manipulation and steerability in the tortuous vasculature. Guidewires for such endovascular procedures face additional challenges due to the relatively small diameter required to navigate through the narrow and remote locations of the neurovasculature.